“The Shipley School boys’ lacrosse team is looking forward to another championship season in 2013 with hopes of winning a 5th consecutive Friends Schools League title (28-0 in FSL play past 4 years) and a 3rd consecutive quarter final appearance in the end of year Inter-Ac Invitational Tournament.

“Coming off an impressive 16-6 (7-0 FSL) record in 2012, the Gators find themselves in new position this year with most of the squad being comprised of underclassmen. Shipley fields an unproven offense that will be led by three senior captains. Senior captain Cory Rayfield returns at attack and hopes to build on his growth from last season, finishing the 2012 season 3rd on the team in goals with 30 in addition to his 5 assists. Fellow senior captain and attackman Andrew Wofford will quarterback the offense this season coming off an injury plagued 2012 in which he was still able to notch 27 goals and 21 assists for 48 points. Senior captain and middie James Lee will also look to improve his 9 goals and 6 assists from 2012 and drive the offense from the midfield. Sophomore Keagan Farr will look to up his 5 goals and 6 assists from last season as he is stepping into an enhanced role within the offense. Rounding out the offensive end of the ball will be freshman Tate Gallagher, brother of 2012 standout and current midfielder for Lafayette College, Mac Gallagher, as well as freshman Drew Silvera, sophomore Ethan Bradlow, sophomore Josh Kline, junior transfer Eric Lee, and senior captain Christian Whyte, who looks to jump in on offense after spending three years as a defensive midfielder.

“While the defense is as young as ever, they are a very talented group. Taking over in goal for graduated senior Ian McGibbon will be freshman standout Ian Walsh, one of the top goalie prospects nationally in the class of 2016. Supporting him will be two returning starters and division I prospects, sophomores Chris Verdeur and David Wolfson. Verdeur (2 goals, 66 ground balls in ’12) will continue to patrol the restraining line and Wolfson, who returns his 58 ground balls and 1 assist from 2012 hopes to lock down the opposing attack. From there the defense will be a mix of upper-class experience and raw youth who will be missing the senior leadership of captain Jamie Piltch, who is a three year starting defensive middie, out for the season due to surgery for a nagging hip injury after basketball season. Along with senior captain Christian Whyte, the short stick defense will be rounded out by junior John Messerschmidt, senior Fed Ruggiero, and freshman Henry Farr. Looking to compete for the remaining starting spots on close defense are junior Rob Cucuel, junior Nick Piasecki, and freshman Nick Ibrahim-Gonzales.

“The Gators open up their 2013 season at home vs. Wyoming Seminary on Friday, March 15 at Shipley’s home Farm Fields in Gladwyne. The Shipley squad will then hit the road for Clearwater, Florida playing games against three standout opponents from the greater Tampa area.”

“The 2013 George School lacrosse team looks to be very good defensively with the entire 2012 lineup returning. There are also two new 9th graders who will add greatly to the defensive depth of the squad and who will allow the team to have a more varied approach to defensive aspects during the spring.

“Offensively 98 goals were lost to graduation, and because of that the Cougars are somewhat young and inexperienced on attack. There is a lot of potential to have a successful offense, and much will depend on how quickly the group learn to work with each other and how quickly a playing style is found which will allow them to maximize their abilities.

“If the defense can hold up its end of things while the offense develops, the team has a chance to have a very successful season.”